


Aoife's adventure with Gwen

by FearAndLeather



Category: Torchwood
Genre: OC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-14
Updated: 2012-03-14
Packaged: 2018-04-15 00:28:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4586070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FearAndLeather/pseuds/FearAndLeather
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is the first of two fics that I wrote for a friend a few years back. Only uploading them now because I'm bored.<br/>The OC (Aoife) is a member of Torchwood and this isn't one of her better days.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Fa. Fa. Wake up." Being woken by bloody Gwen Cooper smashing you over the head with a pillow is not her ideal morning, but still Aoife couldn't help but smile as she reached for another cushion. The battle had commenced. The warm silky fabric almost slipped out of her hand as she swung around to retaliate to Gwen's assault. Then suddenly she thought: what was she actually doing waking up to Gwen? Oh, that was it. They'd both been out on the lash last night. Everything was a blur after ten o clock. "What am I actually doing here Gwen? " "Well, you were smashed. I couldn't let you go home." She smiled, "Well. I tried to kick you out but you fell asleep on my couch." She mocked anger then smiled widely. Getting up to make coffee she threw her weapon back at the hungover girl on the sofa. "Where's Rhys? " Asked Aoife, sitting up properly. "Early work call. He woke me up at 5 this morning." She yawned loudly as she poured the steaming liquid. Aoife's phone started buzzing and, along with her impressive headache, put her in a bit more pain than was probably required. She answered quickly, not wanting the deafening vibrations to carry on. "Aoife speaking." "I'd have never guessed," a warm American voice brushed across her ear, "listen, I'm gonna need you to get to work as soon as. Oh. And can you tell Gwen, her phones off." Jack hung up. Aoife was still half asleep and the sound of her bosses harmonic voice made her sleepy again. "Who was that?" asked Gwen as she walked over with the coffee. "Just Jack. He needs us to come in. Oh and he wants you to your phone on."

The sound of the cog door was deafening her poor alcohol stricken mind as the two girls plodded into work. The lights looked even brighter than usual today. Owen was still not in and Tosh was hard at work depicting something or other. Three guesses where Ianto and Jack were. There was shadows moving quickly in his office. "Morning team," said Gwen cheerily. "we're gonna have to be careful with Aoife this morning. She's a bit delicate." "Not delicate, just..." Her words were cut off by a crashing sound coming from Jack's office. "I don't even wanna know what they're doing." Owen shouted jumping out of his skin at the commotion. The girls all giggled. Gwen and Aoife sat at the computers and started on overdue paperwork that needed to be handed into Jack. She had to deal with the cover story lineup and alibis. This would only take an hour or two but in Torchwood something that should often isn't a something that could. It would be a matter of time before something would interrupt her days work. And at that thought the alarm started going off and Jack ran out of his office wearing only his trousers (that were half undone) and started frantically questioning the occurrence. Toshiko had immediately brought up a special computer programme that would help her to pinpoint exactly where this thing, whatever it was, was happening. "Tosh, what we got?" said the captain impatiently. "There seem to be a massive storm brewing in the centre of town that wasn't even anywhere a minute ago. It's appeared out of no where Jack. There's massive rift spikes running through the centre of it." Her voice shaking slightly as she reported back. "Ianto, set the SUV up. Gwen and Owen prepare yourselves and Tosh I'm gonna need you to stay here and report every little thing that happens. Aoife with me." Without waiting for a reply he strode away and out of the HUB.

Aoife had to jog slightly to keep up with her boss's massive strides. She had no idea where they were going but they were now by the bay and next to some big metal containment sheds. He reached in his pocket and produced a set of keys, slipping one into the keyhole it sounded like all the mechanics of a building site were breaking apart at Jack's hands. The door swung open with a very loud creak. Once inside Jack had been very insistent on Aoife sticking close by, something about very sensitive equipment. After about ten minutes of wondering around using nothing but torch light to navigate their way- and Aoife had been holding in fits of coughing due to the amount of dust there- she finally broke off the silence and asked what they where actually doing there. Jack stared at her for a while, the light from the torch in her face just below her eyes. “Please, just don’t ask questions and just do as I say. This is going to take all of your trust in me. If you don’t trust me this mission will fail. If this mission fails the whole of Cardiff being destroyed is the least of our problems. The whole of creation will dissolve in front of our very eyes.” His face so straight Aoife literately shivered on the spot. She’d never seen jack speak so sinister to one of his own team, it worried her. Jack turned around and saw what it was he had been looking for. No, not Ianto. A rather large piece of machinery that would obviously take them both to carry it out. Aoife followed Jack’s every order and lifted her end gently, making sure not to get her fingers trapped in the littler ridges or slice her fingers open on the sharp edges. And especially not to hit the big dangerous looking button on the side. She knew that would set off the device.

The light of outdoors was so bright Aoife’s eyes had to take a moment to adjust and she almost dropped the device. It was really heavy. When she could finally see again she noticed the SUV already parked up in front of the containment facility with Toshiko, Owen, Gwen and Ianto already sat in there. As they approached the car Owen got out and offered to take Aoife’s half. She couldn’t handle the pain of the metal digging into her fingers joints anymore and let Owen relieve her. Gwen unreeled the window and looked out in shock of what she saw. “Jack, I’m sure you said we could use that because... oh what was it? Oh that was it: the world would end! What the hell is it doing out?!?!?” “Gwen, trust me. Aoife does. Now you all need to.” Pleading with his eyes for them to just trust him. With that Gwen wound back up her window. Aoife strapped her self in as Jack and Owen manoeuvred the device into the boot. Though she couldn’t help but wonder why Jack would want to uncover something of such destruction. But maybe that was it. He said if he didn’t do this the whole of creation would dissolve. Was Jack going to destroy the Earth to save creation? Could he even do that? Jack was a lot of things but a killer of worlds was not one of them. Or at least she thought. Jack past was dark there's a lot of things Jack could have done and mentioned.

Soon they were all standing in the centre of Cardiff Owen and Ianto carrying the device, which Jack had called a transdimensional anomaly disruptor or TAD for short. The entire city had been destroyed and there was a massive electric blue portal at the heart. Cars had been overturned and bodies of the dead and injured were splayed across the roads and pavements. Owen, Toshiko and Ianto ran immediatly to help the fallen citizens while Jack set up the TAD. Gwen and Aoife watched in awe as their captain set to work, removing a panel to access what must have been the settings. He punched at the buttons and before long it made a whirling noise and a satisfying beep. It was ready, whatever Jack was going to do it was going to happen now. Aoife felt an emotion she'd never experienced happen in the pit of her stomach. Jack turned and stared at the two women. "I need you both to be strong for the team. Aoife, I'm putting you in charge of Torchwood. I know you can handle it. Gwen, you're second in command." "What? Why? Where are you going?" the words fell out of Aoife as did her sobs. Gwen couldn't muster the words as her tears almost choked her. "Please. I told you to just trust me." "I can't if you're gonna kill yourself!" Aoife had never felt so strongly about something before in her life. "I need to. No single human has enough life force to complete this without destroying the world! I'm not losing two of my team if I can go myself." Tears had started to well up in his eyes. He turned to activate the machine but suddenly... BANG. Aoife watched as his brain came flying out of the other side of his head. He head flying around to catch Jack's killer. Gwen. "Why!?!" Aoife's voice in tatters. "He can't let us. Now he can't stop us. He'll come back but then it'll be too late." Gwen's face was red and puffy with distraught and tears. Both girls ran to the now vibrating device and held on tight. They reached out one of their hands each and held onto the other ones hand. They both hovered their free hands over the activation button as they stared into each others eyes. This was it. Gwen Cooper and Aoife Brannigan saving the whole of creation and it terrified them. Bringing their hands down in unison they screamed as Jack's hand gripped at their ankles as he revived. But then, like they were having their souls drawn out, the girls felt the machine start to work... but so did Jack.

Two days later Aoife awoke in the medical bay in Torchwood, Owen staring down at her. Wait, the whole team were at her bedside. Even Gwen and Jack. What the hell was going on? As if he read her mind Jack said calmly, "There was three of us. We all had contact with it. We all gave a bit of our life force to it. We all saved creation. I knew there was always a possibility that could happen, I just didn't want to risk losing any of you. But, seeing as I didn't lose you, I guess you deserve praise." He leaned down and kissed her forehead gently then stalked off. Typical Jack. But it made Aoife smile. Jack close didn't look back as he left the other to welcome back their comrade.


	2. And here's the second one

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This time there's a relationship brewing.

"OK kids, this ones gonna be hard." Jack's voice was low and, even in a situation this intense, he was making very strong innuendo. Typical Jack.

Most people Jack met ended up wanting to kill him- with absolutely no chance of succeeding- but Aoife found this man incredibly easy to get on with. When they first met he almost killed her. Unintentionally. He was on a really strange mission that involved a weird hat and dodgy rock. He came running into the office she was working at for the time and immediately ordered everyone to get out and for some reason they all obeyed. It was like he had some sort of authority that no one dare question. No one except for Aoife.

But on this one occasion Aoife knew better. She always knew when to question Jack, when to completely ignore him and when to follow to his every word. This was one of those deadly serious times where if she ignored Jack, even slightly, everyone would die.  
They were in an old, abandoned warehouse where there had been reported sightings of "ghosts". Everyone at Torchwood knew there was no such thing but that just made them all so much eager to find out what was haunting this place. Jack had mentioned a really long a complicated word that probably described them but she didn't understand it. They had gotten Rhys to pinpoint the location of the "ghosts". It turned out he was quite good with the alien technology and nobody even knew- not even Gwen.  
"OK, Gwen and Andy you both take the south entrance. Rhys you stay at the car, it's nothing against you I just need to know if they move." He stared right at Aoife for a second and breathed slowly, "Me and you are taking the north entrance." It was unlike Jack, but he actually waited for Aoife to respond. It was just a small yet frantic nod of the head, but it was all Jack need to set him off. He spun on his heels and made his way to the door way leading to the north entrance.  
This was the new Torchwood team. After Torchwood 3 was blown up Jack had moved the base slightly, it was still underground and still in Cardiff but a few miles away from the old base. And the new members: Captain Jack Harkness, Gwen Cooper (now second in command), Rhys Williams had joined up and so had former PC Andy. And then there was little Aoife, she was a lot less experienced with the extra terrestrial than the others. She had only joined a few months ago but already she had grown so attached to Jack. She did tend to think her favouritism towards Jack was unhealthy but he made it so easy to... love him.  
This was the first time she'd thought about him like this. Did she... love him? As she struggled to keep up with his massive strides across the warehouse. This scared her. She knew that Jack had fell in love before but the last time, as far as she knew, was years ago with a man named Ianto Jones. Jack never fully got over him, he never really got over any of his lovers. Could she really put Jack through yet another lifetime of pain and anguish just so she could have him for about twenty years, if that. No one at Torchwood lived very long.  
She was torn from her train of thought by Jack stopping rather abruptly in front of her and waving an arm, gesturing her to be silent and stay back. She stepped back slightly letting her boss take full control of the situation. She was never going to get used to this and she was glad she'd never get bored of it. He was edging ever closer to whatever had grabbed his attention and he was squinting to see what it was. All Aoife could see was a really dark shadow moving about thirty metres away. Even it's shadow sent masses of shivers down the young girls spine. But suddenly, Aoife spotted Jack's hand move very discretely towards one of his pockets and produce a small vile of a sort of gas, she had no idea what Jack was planning to do or what was in the vile.  
With the creature having just as much of an idea of it's fate as the girl standing behind Jack, it screamed the most terrible noise Jack or Aoife had ever heard. It seemed like the creature was focusing on it's attacker and soon enough Jack was on the floor writhing in pain. He stilled and the creature dispersed into atoms and floated away.  
Aoife ran towards Jack instantly and clasped her arms around him. He woke up, not from death, and stared deeply at her and she felt herself being drawn in by his scent. She could feel his breath tickling the top of her upper lip. She shouldn't have been doing this, it was wrong and unprofessional, but she just couldn't stop herself she wanted him. Oh god. She knew now. She, Aoife Brannigan, loved captain Jack Harkness. And by the looks of things he liked her as well. She could almost taste Jack...  
"JACK?!?! AOIFE?!? Can you hear us? We saw the energy spike. Are you guys still here?" Andy's voice was loud and clear.  
Jack backed away slightly and Aoife pulled herself off of him.  
The journey back to the HUB felt like forever for Aoife, all she could think about was Jack and what had happened. Did he always celebrate not dying by trying to kiss his colleagues? Was what she felt what he felt? Did he feel anything? She was desperate to know but she didn't want to ruin the friendship she had built between her and Jack. Did they even have a friendship anymore? What if what almost happened had ruined that already? What would happen to her now? What if Jack fired her? These thoughts were plaguing her mind already and they didn't seem to be slowing down or even getting better. Aoife could tell this wasn't going to end well.  
But at least they were back now and Aoife quickly went to her workstation and busied herself in some overdue paperwork. Staring down at the work she realised just how overdue it was. Why would Jack let her get so far behind? He moaned at the others if they were a few days behind.  
Soon enough though, Jack appeared behind her. "We need to get you checked out. The energy that thing gave off might be toxic, you absorbed a lot of it." He spoke very plainly. Something had definitely changed between them.  
Jack had been meaning to hire a new medic but things kept coming up. Now, with the most medical training there, Jack seemed to double up as the medic. He had had over a hundred years of experience so he knew a bit about medication and healing people. Aoife seriously hoped so, if something was toxic she wanted to be cured straight away.  
When they'd both arrived at the bay, Jack gently helped her up onto the bed and turned around to collect some of the medical apparatus. She sighed loudly as she let go of a breath she'd been unconsciously holding. She had no idea what Jack was about to do and she didn't know what she was meant to do.  
"Jack, you tried to kiss me." The words shocked her as they fell out of her mouth. They seemed to shock Jack as well, he stood in awe as he stared into her eyes.  
"You didn't seem to mind." He was obviously putting up defenses as they spoke.  
Aoife didn't want Jack to put up defenses, part of her wanted Jack to say he loved her. But another part of her didn't want to hurt Jack. He was vulnerable to things like this, it was the only thing he was vulnerable to.  
"Jack, please. I didn't mean to say anything." Aoifes apology was rushed.  
"No. You did mean to, you just wanna take it back now." It was his turn to sigh now. He put the piece of apparatus back on the table and turned to fully face Aoife. "Is there a reason you want to take it back?" Jack's eyes widened to a point beyond belief as he waited for her response.  
"I. Jack. Can't. Sorry. Maybe I should go home." She moved to get away from Jack but he grasped her arm and applied the smallest amount of force. Aoife wasn't going anywhere.  
"Please, Aoife, if there's something you need to tell me please do. I'm your boss and more importantly your friend." His plea almost breaking down his own barriers.  
"Why did you try and kiss me Jack?" She couldn't say what she felt straight out, Jack would laugh in her face. She needed to know what went through Jack's head when he tried to pull a stunt like that. "What were you trying to achieve? Or do you kiss everyone you're around when you realize you're not dead?"  
Jack couldn't help but smile slightly at the girl in front of him. She was so innocent and was completely clueless of his love for her. He hadn't always loved her, it was a slow process and he never meant for it happen but Jack Harkness knew better than anyone that you can't control love It was like controlling life and death. Sure, you can do it but it always leaves devastation and it tends to change the course of history in more ways than one. Jack had tried to control both life/ death and love. He knew the consequences and he wasn't about to live through them again. He had to tell her.  
Aoife was just about to make another deep thought and panicky speech when Jack's lips smashed into hers. She was tempted to back away and argue when she figured it out. Jack did kiss, flirt and probably do a lot worse with pretty much everyone but when it felt like this...Jack was serious. They both were.


End file.
